To Live Libertarian

Mark at South Puget Sound Libertarian has an excellent post where he posits the question: Is libertarianism an ideology? In my response, I found a post of my own.

My staunch Republican friend came into the store and struck up a conversation with me about whom our next president would be. He asked what I thought of the Democrats to which I responded that I thought they'd have us bankrupted by the end of the decade. He then asked which Republican I was voting for. I responded that I wouldn't be voting Republican unless Ron Paul were in the race. "Ron Paul who?" was his reply.He agreed with me that the Democrats would probably hurt us with their welfare projects and then told me that we, as a nation, would be a lot better off if a Republican were elected president. I disagreed and said that a libertarian-minded president would actually be the better choice. He responded that Libertarians were weak on foreign policy and that would imperil us a nation. I disagreed and remarked, "Besides... a whole lot less innocent people would die if 'my guy' held that office."

He paused for a moment, and then conceded.

Is Libertarianism an ideology? I agree that it is. But it may be more of a way of life... Much like living the Golden Rule.